a/n: wow I can't believe the last chapter is here... I truly want to thank all of you who've stuck with me through this story! now read on for pointless fluff!
It had been a rough week. On Monday, a call from the governor woke up the lieutenant, who then woke up Jane about a high profile murder that needed to be solved as soon as possible. Since Jane took the sergeant's position and returned to Boston, she took more heat from the brass and felt the pressure to solve the case. But Jane and her team hit dead end after dead end and tension and frustration started to build between the detectives. By Wednesday, Jane made the decision to send everyone home early to get some rest and come back fresh in the morning. Finally, after Maura provided a huge break in the forensics Thursday afternoon, they were able to serve the warrant and arrest the killer. Friday was filled with endless paperwork and reports that needed to filed.
Jane had barely had the chance to breathe this week, let alone see Maura. Most days she was out of bed before Maura woke and home long after she went to sleep. Even though Jane stole brief moments down at the morgue just to be close to her, she missed Maura. Ever since they had become an official thing, the detective longed to be close to Maura as much as possible. Jane never experienced that feeling before in any of her prior relationships. Never before had she craved someone else's touch like she craved Maura's. It was entirely new, and Jane found she quite liked it.
At any sign of domesticity, Jane normally would run for the hills and never look back. Her previous relationships had felt suffocating and she never felt comfortable with the idea of commitment or marriage. But Maura was different. Maura had always been different. Jane couldn't imagine her life without the know-it-all doctor even before they started dating. But now? Jane was pretty sure she would die if she lost Maura. She just wished it hadn't taken them so long to get to this point. So much lost time. But ever since Maura told Jane she loved her a little less than a year ago, the pair had been making up for lost time. Jane let out a happy sigh at the memories she and Maura shared as she hit submit on the report.
With the last report filed, she shut her laptop with a satisfying click. "Goodnight Emma" she waved goodbye to the redhead.
Emma smiled and lifted her hand in response. "Goodnight Jane."
When Jane disappeared into the elevator, Emma whipped out her phone and sent the text to Maura. The young detective smiled to herself proud for keeping Maura's secret, she has no idea.
Maura's phone dinged with Emma's text and she let out a surprised squeak.
"Angela, she's on her way home! I'm not ready yet!" Angela laughed at the panicked younger woman.
She placed her hands firmly on Maura's shoulders and looked into her eyes. "Maura, you are ready. Jane loves you more than anyone she's ever loved before. She would say yes no matter how you asked."
Maura let out a deep breath. "You're right. Yes, of course you're right." She gently shook her head and smiled. "I'm ready."
Angela enveloped her in an almost crushing hug. "I love you both. Text me when she says yes." The elder woman winked and left for the guest house.
Maura busied herself making sure everything was perfect and in place for when Jane came home. After an agonizing amount of time where Maura thought of all the ways this could go wrong, she heard Jane's car pull into the driveway. She listened to her make her way up the steps and unlock the door with her key.
"Maura I'm home!" Jane called. "Damn what smells so good?"
Maura made herself visible to Jane, and the detective let out an audible gasp. Maura was in a skin tight blue dress and black pumps, much like the ones from her vision what felt like a lifetime ago. Her honey colored hair was pulled back in an intricate twist except for the two strands framing her face. She smiled at Jane and moved closer to her.
"Wow Maura, you look- you look great. Did I forget an anniversary or birthday or something?"
The doctor let out a light giggle. "No, you didn't forget anything. Can't I just get dressed up for you sometimes?"
Jane held her hands up in surrender. "Hey, no complaints here." Jane placed her hands on Maura's hips and leaned in for a soft kiss. "I've missed you."
Maura tilted her head in confusion. "But you just saw me for lunch?"
"Yes, but at the station we're Sergeant-Detective Rizzoli and Dr. Isles. I like it much more here when we're just Jane and Maura." Jane sighed and Maura could see the exhaustion and fatigue written across the detective's face.
"Here let me help you." Maura moved to take Jane's badge and gun from her hips, placing them in the safe by the door. "Come, I made dinner. Lasagna your favorite with a side salad because we need some vegetables and tiramisu for dessert."
Jane never felt as loved as she did in that one moment. "I love you."
Maura looked at her, mildly surprised but a smile quickly took over her features. "I love you too, Jane. Let's eat."
Dinner was filled with mundane chatter about their respective weeks at work, Frankie freaking out about Nina being pregnant with twins, Angela and Ron, Korsak and Kiki and everything in between. After a week of stress, sitting there with Maura, Jane felt the tension begin to seep out of her body allowing her to relax for the first time all week. When dinner was finished, Jane noticed Maura had begun to fidget in her seat.
"Let me clean up." Maura said abruptly standing up and taking the dishes to the kitchen.
Jane watched her with a mixture of confusion and concern. "You alright Maur?"
"Yeah, yeah I'm fine. You ready for dessert?"
Still confused Jane nodded. "Yeah, okay."
With shaking hands, Maura brought the tiramisu over to the table, placing it in front of Jane. Jane looked at the top and noticed the cursive written across the top in bright pink frosting: Will you marry me? Her hand flew to her mouth as she turned to find Maura down on one knee, a ring box in her hand.
"Maura" she choked out.
"Jane" the way Maura's voice lovingly wrapped around her name caused tears of joy to spring to Jane's eyes. "I first realized I loved you a random day in Paris. What I should've realized is that I've been in love with you since the day I met you and you told any detective who called me Queen of the Dead to shove it. And I call myself a genius." Jane laughed through her tears. "You make me feel safe and loved and I know you would move Mars and Earth to make me happy."
"It's 'heaven and Earth' Maur" Jane interrupted with an amused and loving smile.
Maura knitted her eyebrows in confusion. "Are you sure? That doesn't make sense, there is no scientific evidence proving heaven is a real place so how could you move it?"
Jane laughed. "Oh forget it, it doesn't matter. I would move Mars and Earth to make you happy..."
Maura shook her head. "Right. I love you and I want to spend the rest of my life with you by my side. So Jane Rizzoli, will you marry me?"
Jane hummed to herself, tapping her finger to her chin. "Let me think...uh YES! Of course I want to marry you, you goof."
Maura broke out into a large smile as she removed the simple silver band from the ring box and held it up for Jane to see. "I had it engraved"
The brunette carefully took the ring and looked on the underside to read the inscription. You're my home, forever and always -M
"Oh Maura..." more tears fell from Jane's eyes as the doctor took the ring and slipped it onto Jane's ring finger.
Maura leaned up to meet Jane in a searing kiss filled with love and devotion.
"Did she say yes?" Angela's voice interrupted them.
Jane dropped her head onto Maura's shoulder with an exaggerated groan. "Ma!"
Maura giggled and responded, "She said yes!"
"She said yes!" Angela shouted outside and suddenly Maura's kitchen was filled with people wishing them the best.
The couple received congratulations as Frankie opened a bottle of champagne with a loud pop, causing the room to break out in cheers. Glasses were filled with champagne and sparkling cider for Nina and Tommy.
"To Jane and Maura. May their love be forevermore" said Angela.
"To Jane and Maura" everyone responded, clinking their glasses together.
The room was filled with so much love and Maura couldn't help but think this is what she was searching for her entire life. A house filled to the brim with people she cared about and who cared about her. Maura thanked her lucky stars that Jane Rizzoli found her way into the doctor's life and made it so much better than she ever could have imagined.
Maura caught Jane's eye, who was currently talking to Korsak and Kiki and the brunette gave her a loving smile and mouthed "I love you." Maura mouthed it back before being dragged to dance with Tommy to the light music playing from her speakers. Maura let out a surprised laugh as Tommy twirled her around the makeshift dance floor.
Later, after everyone had gone home already offering to help plan the wedding, Jane and Maura were left swaying together. Maura rested her head on Jane's shoulder and let out a happy sigh.
"Penny for your thoughts?" came Jane's voice low in her ear.
A shiver involuntarily went down Maura's spine as she pulled back to look her detective in the eye. There were so many things Maura wanted to say but couldn't find the words. All that she could say was, "I'm grateful that you're my home."
"I'll be your home, Maura, forevermore."
a/n: and that's a wrap (peep the Taylor Swift references). I'm considering writing a sequel for this story but I'm not sure what direction I want to go with it, but I have ideas for one-shots so keep an eye out for those!